Custom Rifle Makers

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rookiehunter

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I have been drooling over the Gunwerks rifles for a while. But damn...12K USD plus....

Looking to treat myself to a custom rifle for hunting and long-range shooting fun. Are there any alternatives to Gunwerks rifles that members can recommend?
 
Garry Flack ( may have miss spelled his name) he is in Langley, and is a member of CGN I has seen his work and its very impressive.
 
rookiehunter said:
I have been drooling over the Gunwerks rifles for a while. But damn...12K USD plus....

Looking to treat myself to a custom rifle for hunting and long-range shooting fun. Are there any alternatives to Gunwerks rifles that members can recommend?
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If you source the components yourself and have a skilled gunsmith assemble the rifle you can build the equivalent of a Gunwerks for less than half the price. I say this presuming you want an all weather gun with a composite stock.

A custom action with a Jewel or Triggertech trigger and quality barrel sitting in a Wildcat Composite stock would be the equal of the Gunwerks.

Lots of choices for actions, barrels, triggers and stocks all made or available in Canada so you can completely avoid dealing with import hassles and delays.

If you want true custom built old school rifle with blued metal and a hand crafted wood stock there are a few makers in Canada but their prices may make your eyes water even more than the Gunwerks.

Ralf Martini, Martin Hagn, Chris Griesbach, Gary Flach are all craftsmen located in Canada who can build you a classic bolt action or falling block hunting rifle.
 
For members, I would use Brno284 or guntech.

For non members, KS Arms - their action, barrel, bottom metal and their stock design that wildcat composites makes. Simply tell them what you want and pick it up a few weeks later.
 
Ya, I would get something built over those, not that they aren't a good package, I have no experience with them, but for a moment when you pull the trigger, its still just a rifle. You could find a 6.5 PRC or whatever you want in many other factory rifles and buy a wildcat or manners or whatever your into and have assembled for so much less. Even a fluted medium profile factory barrel with weigh less than those heavy carbon barrels, which is kind of the rationalization of spending the big bucks, plus steel will shed heat quicker. Save your money. If you want titanium you can buy it, or find an old remington or browning Ti action for donor action. If you want it to look cool, get a manners and then the hydro dip or paint scheme of your choice.
 
Gary Flach-GEFlach in Langley, Mitch Kendal- brno284 in Kamloops, Dennis Sorensen- guntech on Vancouver Island,
Andy Voight of Dragon Hill Rifles in Quesnel,

Figure out what you want to do with your rifle and what do you want it to weigh after being built ? Is it a back packers ultra light dream rifle ? or something heavier
Usually when you have an end goal weight in mind this will help decide on the parts used.
Rifle weight with no scope

5 to 6lbs ultra light
6 to 7lbs light weight
7 to 8lbs standard weight
8 to 10lbs Wheel Barrow rifles !!!!

Gunwerks builds a nice rifle but you can build a rifle with the best parts in the world for about $5 grand Cdn

I just had Gary Flach build me a ultra light 280 Ackley, I bought the parts myself from Gary Eakin of Bighorn Sales in Houston BC and the Wildcat stock from Stu in Alberta, the Leupold 4.5-14x40 30mm CDS scope was used,
Defiance AnTi action, Benchmark Fluted Barrel, Triggertech Special Trigger, Alloy bottom metal, Wildcat Ultra Light stock, Talley mounts, scope, labour, total cost $4400.00 with scope, you can build them for a lot less to.
 
Weatherby Fan said:
Gary Flach-GEFlach in Langley, Mitch Kendal- brno284 in Kamloops, Dennis Sorensen- guntech on Vancouver Island,
Andy Voight of Dragon Hill Rifles in Quesnel,

Figure out what you want to do with your rifle and what do you want it to weigh after being built ? Is it a back packers ultra light dream rifle ? or something heavier
Usually when you have an end goal weight in mind this will help decide on the parts used.
Rifle weight with no scope

5 to 6lbs ultra light
6 to 7lbs light weight
7 to 8lbs standard weight
8 to 10lbs Wheel Barrow rifles !!!!

Gunwerks builds a nice rifle but you can build a rifle with the best parts in the world for about $5 grand Cdn

I just had Gary Flach build me a ultra light 280 Ackley, I bought the parts myself from Gary Eakin of Bighorn Sales in Houston BC and the Wildcat stock from Stu in Alberta, the Leupold 4.5-14x40 30mm CDS scope was used,
Defiance AnTi action, Benchmark Fluted Barrel, Triggertech Special Trigger, Alloy bottom metal, Wildcat Ultra Light stock, Talley mounts, scope, labour, total cost $4400.00 with scope, you can build them for a lot less to.
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So what was your finished weight with and without glass?


Your weights above for ultra light to wheel barrel are they with or without glass? A standard 7 or 7.5 pound rifle will end up close to 9 or 9.5 lbs with average optics and rings/mount. So lets get specific if you define one as average and the other as wheel barrel required eh..

As for the weights mentioned, the gunwerks stuff aren't necessarily ultra light (CLYMR: 6 pounds 4 ounces per link below), especially with the fancy long range glass systems they use. Any main stream gunmaker will about match or beat their weights with their version of a light or ultra light rifle.

The savage lightweight storm for instance beats by almost a pound (I don't love savages)
Kimber adirondack or montana by more than that.
Browning and remington have models not far off as well.

only link to find weight of bare clymr rifle: https://journalofmountainhunting.com/mountain-ready-rifles-by-nolan-osborne/


The rifle is cool, but not necessarily ultra light, its more of a crossover between mid/long range and mountain. A kimber adirondack with a 1.5-6 power scope would be an ultra light mountain rifle (my definition), the clymr is something else which crosses categories and has compromises to do so (again in my opinion),

or actually maybe they could be defined as a high end long range mountain rifle marketed for folks who want to go on a guided trip with more money than time or patience to setup a rifle or do load development and want something accurate and cool and could care less about the costs. This isn't meant as a negative remark, just what it seems they are marketing towards perhaps.
 
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You need to read my post it clearly states “Rifle weight with no scope”

My build was 5lbs 2.4oz on its own and 6lbs 4oz scoped.

The reason I don’t add scope weight is some guys don’t mind putting a 2lb scope on a 5 or 6lb rifle
If you want an average scope/mount weight to add I use 1lb with the Leupold 4.5-14x40 30mm tube CDS and Talleys, it’s a good compromise for a lightweight hunting/long range shooting scope.
 
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Gunwerks are nothing special you're paying for advertising and branding. There are at least a dozen gunsmiths in Western Canada that can build you every bit as good of a rifle for a quarter the price.
 
double gun said:
For non members, KS Arms - their action, barrel, bottom metal and their stock design that wildcat composites makes. Simply tell them what you want and pick it up a few weeks later.
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Yup, haver built me three rifles now, two with their barrels, bedding, etc etc. you can pick barrels, twists, etc. One was done with a unique one off stock. Prices quite reasonable, infact awesome.
 
Definitely go with Doublegun on the KS Arms for a great custom, Karl and Mike build one of the best barrel and action combinations I have ever shot. No where near as pricey as Gunwerks or Corlanes. Located in Edmonton with good turn around time.
 
I heard the guys from gunwerks on a podcast mention that their price is high for a reason. It’s because of the R&D with the complete rifle “System”. That’s rifle, scope, rangefinder, and ammunition. The price also allows for a $500 rebarrel fee when you shoot out a factory gunwerks barrel.
Being in Canada, obviously it wouldn’t make much sense to “buy in” to their system due to no real Canadian support. Not to mention, you would have to buy the whole package to take advantage of the inflated “system” price/service. That may be worth something to someone...
Any of the competent rifle builders mentioned above would be able to produce the same level of quality rifles. It’s not like the gunwerks gunsmiths have magical powers or inherently more accurate equipment. I’ve personally used Dennis/guntech and have had fantastic results and will have my next project to him in the next couple of weeks.
 
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